


When Julia met Marlia

by Romanumeternal



Series: Julia and Marlia [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 21:34:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19876426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romanumeternal/pseuds/Romanumeternal
Summary: Julia was quite looking forward to owning a slave - but this scared, skinny maid, fresh from the slums of Athens, was hardly what she was imagining.





	When Julia met Marlia

"You got me a slave?" asked Julia.

Claudilo nodded, as Gamsol took one of her suitcases - the sort she could barely lift with two hands - out of the car easily, and walked inside the house with it. "Yes, Miss Julia" Julia looked slightly reprovingly at him.

"Really? I had hoped to choose a girl myself, you know" she said, a tone of slight censure in her voice. "Oi! Be careful with that, cretin" she snapped at Drufio, who'd allowed another suitcase to bash against the car's body as he lifted it out. "If anything in there is damaged I'll have you whipped." She returned her attention to her father's secretary. "They do say a maid reflects on her owner." She made a face. "I would not want a poor mirror."

Claudilo sighed. "I've met the girl myself, Miss Julia, and she's already been in training her for a month. I'm sure she'll give satisfaction." Julia sniffed, slightly mollified, as Sia came scurrying out with an iced lemon drink. Julia took it wordlessly, gulping it down, enjoying the sour taste. It was, she thought, unpleasantly warm - especially after the mild summers, and freezing winters, of Caledonia Well, she thought, with a sudden vehemence - the Academy itself hadn't been all bad, but there was no way even Pluto Himself could drag her back to that cold, bleak, boring province.

She looked around. It was funny, she reflected, how the house really had not changed that much - from the outside, at least. The same whitewashed walls into which the house was partially built, the same statues lining the yard, the same wooden gates, wide open as they always were. Even the ivy climbing part of the wall was the same, she thought, as the growth that had looked out over a young girl, heading off to the Caledonian Academy. Now she was back, a decade older and a woman grown, but the ivy was still there. And Claudilo, of course. He was always there for her - rather more than her actual father, she thought. She smiled. "But, regardless, it is good to see you, Claudilo."

"And you, Miss Julia." The freedman smiled. "Your father sends his apologies. Urgent business detains him in Adrianpole, but he will be back tomorrow evening." She nodded at this information, not really surprised by it. She was a good Roman girl and she did - she supposed - love her father. And she supposed he loved her too. But somehow they'd never really bonded. Maybe, she sometimes thought, it was because she was a daughter, when he already had three sons. Or maybe that her talents paled in comparison to Quintus' intelligence, Marius' athleticism or Tiberius' astuteness (and, she'd be the first to allow, lacked the work ethic of any of them.) Maybe she reminded him too much of her mother. Or maybe - just maybe - he was genuinely mostly too busy for her.

"Good" she smiled. "I look forward to seeing him. And my brothers?"

"Tiberius is with your father, but I believe will be heading to Syria soon. Marius should have leave in the next three months, and has promised to visit. And Quintus is with us already." Claudilo frowned. "Not too well, today. Perhaps see him later, in the evening."

They walked together, towards the door. "So what made my father finally give in?" she grinned. "Was it my nagging, or your remarks on my behalf?"

"I hardly think your father is the sort to be swayed by either women or former slaves" said Claudilo, but there was a twinkle in his eye when he spoke. "I may, however, have pointed out that you're a woman grown now, and heading off to Neapolis in a couple of months." He chuckled. "After I pointed out that if he did not approve the cost, it could well be the case that Lukaminka would be yours..."

They stepped inside the _vestibulum_ , Julia looking around. Again, it hadn't changed much. Busts of notable men - the sort all decent Roman men were expected to honour - Carcalla, Carolus, Hastrion, Pertinax, Camillus, Brutus and Romulus Himself - still lined the walls, still interspersed with the antique oil paintings still showing idealised visions of the countryside. Above the doorway leading to the atrium was still that black marble bust of Janus.

Julia laughed. "Lukaminka would be an amusing companion, no doubt. But I am not sure I trust her to boil an egg." She blinked. "Actually, I do trust her to boil an egg. She knows her way around a kitchen, I will give her that." She waved a hand, dismissing Lukaminka from her mind. "But you know what I mean."

"I do indeed" said Claudilo, with some feeling. He pulled open the doors to the atrium and walked through, Julia following. "Hold on" said Julia, a ghastly idea forming in her mind. "You haven't purchased some old crone, have you? To watch on me and see I lead a life so dull a Vestal Virgin would get bored?"

"No, of course not" said Claudilo. "Your father did entertain that idea, I will admit, but he does realise you're a woman now. He trusts your judgement when you enter the Symposia."

"Does he now?" said Julia, not quite believing that. Her father appeared to believe she led a life of debauchery that Messalina would be sickened by, and she wouldn't have quite put it past him to saddle her with some bitter old hag who'd eagerly report on her every wrongdoing.

"Well, you are a woman now, no longer a girl. And if all goes well you will soon be managing a whole household. Your father appreciates you need to start learning that somewhere, rather than just being looked after. Besides" Claudilo said, smiling. "You are off to that Symposia to make contacts, mix with other patricians. It would be difficult if you had someone insisting that you be back in bed by eight."

Julia nodded, looking around the atrium. It was lined, as was customary, with the death masks of previous generations; against a richly painted backdrop of dark red and blue. In the centre of the room, underneath a skylight and partially shaded by potted plants on plinths , was the _impluvium_ , inhabited by a couple of large, elderly and extremely obese goldfish. Against the walls were wooden cabinets; some containing military decorations or civilian honours won by the family, others simply showing antiques and valuables collected over the years. To one side, partially concealed by a crimson curtain, was the _Lararium_ , the shrine for the household gods. 

Almost without thinking, Julia geneflucted towards it, whispering a quick prayer to the Lares. " _O Immortal Spirits and Guardian of this Home and my Family; I have long tarried but now I am returned to the House of my Father and once more place myself wholly under Your Protection and Favour_ ". She returned her attention to Claudilo, smirking. "Now I feel that I'm back." She frowned. "So how will this work? Do I own this slave, or what?"

"Oh" said Claudilo. "She's yours. Your father's gift to you." Julia laughed. "Nice. Finally!"

Claudilo frowned. "It is a responsibility, Julia." Julia looked at him, slightly sceptically. "Is it? I mean, other than making sure she doesn't drop dead of hunger or whatever..."

"You own her, Julia. Mind, body and soul as the old formula has it. She's completely dependent on your goodwill." There was an unexpected intensity in Claudilo's voice, and Julia nodded, although personally she thought he was laying it on a bit thick. But then, of course, he had been a slave, she reasoned. Likely, that meant he lacked some perspective on the whole thing. She wasn't planning on having the new slave regularly beaten to a pulp - although, she remembered, her friend Antonia had told her an introductory flogging could work wonders in terms of making sure new slaves understood their place.

"Marlia" said Claudilo, clapping his hands. Before the last echo had died away, a short, slender woman, in the usual drab grey slave tunic, had emerged from a side door. Julia sniffed as she saw the newcomer. Skinny. Mud-brown hair cut short. A nervous expression on her face - well that, thought Julia, was an encouraging sign. Any slave should nervous before meeting their new owners. She frowned, slightly. There was something very slightly off about the girl's gait. There was a slight limp, the slave favouring her right over her left leg. And, come to that, the girl's right arm was held somewhat stiffly.

"Marlia" said Claudilo, "this is Julia Antonia Amelia Callarius. Your new domina."

The girl bowed her head and, precisely as protocol dictated, got on her knees swiftly. Julia watched, not terribly impressed. "It is an honour to meet you, domina" said Marlia, in a speech that was obviously rehearsed. "This lowly slave begs only that she might be given the opportunity to serve -"

"Oh, do shut up" snapped Julia. "Speak when you're spoken to. Otherwise stay silent." She turned to Claudilo. "Claudilo, who the hell is this?" In response, Claudilo passed her a piece of paper. She snatched it. "Claudilo, look at the dumb bitch. Well don't, she's not much to look at is she. Flat chested like anything. And what's wrong with her bloody leg?" She scanned the paper, and let out a horrified "what!".

She turned again to Claudilo. "Claudilo, this bitch cost less than a used car. And - the-the Crystal Venus? In Athens? That slum!" She looked down at Marlia, eyes narrowing as a horrible suspicion came to her mind. "What the fuck were you doing in Athens?" Marlia glanced up at her, eyes wide. Good, thought Julia sourly. Afraid, as she should be. 

"It-it was a bar, domina." Julia smiled, coldly. "Really? Just a bar, was it? Or were you one of the courses on the menu?"

"I don't understand, domina."

"Dumb fucking slut." She kicked her leg out, catching Marlia in the stomach. The slave doubled up, eyes filling with tears.

"You were a fucking whore, weren't you?" She squatted down, grabbing a handful of Marlia's hair. "Tell me the fucking truth."

Marlia licked her lips, nervously, and then nodded, looking down at the floor shamefacedly. Disgusted, Julia let go of the hair and stood back up. She paused, closed her eyes for two seconds, and then: "Claudilo, I respect you, but - and I apologise if this is not your doing, but - what in Hades are you up to? She's a cheap, used up, whore! A snivelling cripple, as well." She shook her head. "I'll assume that there was...oh, I don't know. Even you make mistakes, maybe. But Claudilo, my father cannot seriously expect me to have a slut like this?"

Claudilo frowned. "Read the whole thing, Miss Julia. She scores fairly highly on the Sulphian Intelligence Index, higher on the Milgamiun Obediance Index, no major mental disturbances. She's been in the household three months already, according to the others she learns fast and I've heard no complaints-"

"Yes,because she's probably fucking them" snapped Julia, and then raised her eyebrows as she spotted another entry on the sheet. "Get on your fucking feet, whore." The slave scrambled to her feet with gratifying speed - to be met with a hard slap across the cheek from Julia. She yelped, and looked pleadingly at Julia. "Please, domina-" Another slap soon cut short that outburst. "What did I tell you about speaking?" she asked. "Anyway, take off your tunic." She couldn't resist adding "I'm sure you've done it for an audience a lot of times before."

Marlia hesitated, but only for a moment, and then took it off, standing naked before Julia and Claudilo. Coldly, Julia looked over the girl's body. She was, Julia considered, far too skinny; and there was a slave tattoo on her shoulder, with a series of numbers tattooed on her hip. "Turn around" she said, and then looked at Claudilo as the girl did so. "You see?" she said, as she pointed to the scars on the girl's back. "I don't care what some stupid test says, these scars say she was flogged." She took a deep breath and then went on, in a calmer voice. "Come on, Claudilo, please. Speak to my father, whatever, but honestly! Surely you agree this bitch is hardly suitable? Let's sell her and get someone suitable."

There was a sharp intake of breath when Julia mentioned 'sell', and Julia whirled around, raising her hand for another chastisment, but-

"I think you're being unfair, Miss Julia."

"What? Why?"

"Slaves don't choose to be whored out - well, most don't. Did you have a choice, Marlia?"

The slave shook her head. "N-No sir." She looked straight at Julia. "Please, domina. This one only wants to serve loyally. My previous owners wished me to...entertain men, so that's what I did, domina."

"I don't bloody care if she had a choice! Besides, how do you explain the scars?" Claudilo looked uncertain, for a moment, and then: "Miss Julia, not every dominus is as...fair minded as your father. Sometimes, slaves get hurt for no reason." For a moment, Claudilo's voice assumed a low, bitter tone. "Some men just like screams, I think."

"Oh, yes" said Julia, slightly sarcastically. "I forgot, slave's always have an excuse, don't they? Far as I'm concerned, all they have to do is do what they're told and they wouldn't get hurt. Oh, put your tunic back on, cretin. Don't want to stare at your tits all day." She sighed. "I'll be a laughingstock" said Julia. "And I dare say she doesn't know how to butter toast."

"Actually" said Claudilo "she cooked the household a full meal last night. And the daughter of one of your father's clients was very pleased with her new hairstyle. And you'll only be a laughingstock if you loudly shout to all and sundry she's a former bargirl."

"I'm still not accepting her. Sell her to a work camp or factory. Why not a brothel?" There was a stifled gasp. "It'd be what you're used to" she added, coldly. "It's your natural place, really."

"Accept her, for a month" said Claudilo, firmly. "As a favour to me."

Julia frowned. "Favour? I- Romulus above, don't tell me you're sleeping together." She laughed. "Claudilo, I know you could afford this piece without a charade of dating your patron's daughter's maid."

"No, Miss Julia, but your father trusted me to get his daughter a maid." He grinned crookedly. "If you sell Marlia to a coal mine or whatever tomorrow, he might not be too happy."

"I suppose so" said Julia, slightly mutinously. For a moment, she was tempted to tell him to go to Hades. He'd made his bed with this ridiculous choice, really he should lie in it. But that impulse didn't last long. Claudilo was her friend, her protector, her confidante- and really, more of a father than her actual father.

"For a month" she agreed. "But afterward-"

"Afterwards, what?" smiled Claudilo, innocently. "If she proves satisfactory, well, there's no need for a change, is there. And besides..."

Julia frowned. "Besides what?"

"Marlia here has every incentive to impress." He looked, not at Julia, but at the slave. "After all" he said, a slight undercurrent of menace in his tone "if you don't-"

"You'll be back where you came from" smiled Julia, thinly. She took a step closer to the slave, who flinched. She laughed. "Understand, slave?"

Marlia nodded. "Yes, domina. Please, this one will serve you-"

"-I'm sure you bloody will." interrupted Julia, not particularly caring what the girl had to say. "Right. I'm going up to see Quintus." She turned around, fixing Marlia with a hard stare. "Make sure my bags are in my room when I get back. If my suitcase is not unpacked by the time I finish, I'll have the skin off your back. Understood?" She didn't wait to hear whatever pathetic bleats Marlia came out with. She shook her head, as she walked away. Really! What was Claudilo thinking? A skinny, non-too pretty ex-whore, as her maid? Well, she thought, she'd give Claudilo the month, and the day after, buy herself a proper slave. 


End file.
